Musical doll carriage



April 22, 1958 R. w. MUESSEL 2,831,291

MUSICAL D 0LL CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.ROBERT w. MUESSEL BY gm ifa yflggu 1 ATTORNEYS A ril 22, 1958 R. w.MUESSEL 2,831,291

MUSICAL DOLL CARRIAGE Filed Feb. 16, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.ROBERT W. MUESSEL 500110111 v aZZQMa/LZ, K ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent MUSICAL DOLL CARRIAGE Robert W. Muessel, South Bend, Ind.,assignor to South Bend Toy Mfg. Co., South Bend, Ind.

Application February 16, 1953, Serial No. 337,111

Claims. c1. 46-111) The present invention relates to doll carriages, andmore particularly to doll'carriages which may be operated by a child toproduce music.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a musical dollcarriage capable of being operated by a child to produce music as thecarriage is being pushed or pulled.

Another object of this invention is to provide a doll carriage with amusic box which is actuated in response to movement of the dollcarriage.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combination dollcarriage and music box having operating connections which may bemanipulated to cause actuation of the music box in response to movementof the carriage, and which is further manipulable to prevent actuationof the music box during operation of the carriage.

Other objects will become apparent as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, my invention maybe embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings,attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings areillustrative only, and that specific change may be made in the specificconstructions illustrated and described, so long as the scope of theappended claims is not violated.

In the drawings: r

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a doll carriage of this invention, whichis shown in part section substantially along section line 11 of Fig. 2;i

Fig. 2 is afragmental section taken substantially along section line 2-2of Fig. ,1;

- ',Fig.. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation,.'shown inpart-section, of the music box and connecting operating lever;

' Fig.- 4,;is aside elevationof another embodiment of this invention;and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmental section taken substantially alongsection line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, adoll carriage 6 comprised of a collapsible, scissors frame 8, isequipped with a music box 10 of the type conventionally referred to as aSwiss music box. While a Swiss music box has been indicated, it is to beunderstood that any musical instrument of the rotary type or of the typewhich is actuated by means of a rotary member may be used withoutdeparting from the spirit of this invention.

The operating mechanism of the music box 10 (such mechanism being shownonly in part) is supported in a cup-shaped rectangular box having alongone longitudinal side thereof parallel extending lateral guide flanges11 which slidably engage the opposite longitudinal edges of one leg 12of the scissors frame 8. The engagement between this leg and guideflanges is such as to permit easy longitudinally sliding movement of thebox 10 on the leg for a purpose which will become apparent from thefollowing description.

The music box 10 is fastened to the leg 12 by means of two headed rivets14 which extend through companion, longitudinally extending slots 16 inthe leg 12, this fastening being of such character as to permit easysliding movement of the music box with respect to the leg 12 but secureenough to prevent undue looseness. The rotary music box drive shaft 18,which serves in driving the music-producing mechanism, extends through aclearance slot 20 in the leg 12, an operating wheel 20 being secured tothe outer end of the shaft 18 as shown more clearly in Fig. 2.

The mounting of the music box 10 is made such as will position theoperating wheel 22 in radial alignment with a carriage wheel 24, wherebythe music box, as viewed in Fig. 2, may he slid downwardly along the leg12 to make a driving engagement between the two wheels 22 and 24,respectively.

An important feature of this invention resides in the fact that themechanism may be operated easily and properly by a child to providemusic only when it is desired. For this purpose, an operating lever 26is pivoted to the side of the music box support, as seen more clearly inFig. 3, and extends rearwardly to a point aft of the rear carriage axle30. This lever 26 is provided with a notch 28 engageable with the axle30, and is held against the axle by means of a spring 32 connectedbetween the axle and the lever in such a, manner as to urge the lever ina clockwise direction about its pivot. The notch 28 is so located on thelever 26 as to space the music box, and consequently the driving wheel22, away from driving engagement with the carriage wheel 24. This brokenengagement is shown in Fig. 2. When the child desires to have music, hemerely lifts upwardly on the end 34 of the lever 26 so as to break thelocking engagement between the notch 28 and axle 30 whereupon the spring32 slides the entire box rearwardly and into operative drivingengagement with the wheel 24. Now as the carriage is moved alongthefloor, the wheel 22 will be rotated for operating the music-producingmechanism in the music box 10. It will be appreciated at this point,that even the most unskilled person can operate this arrangement toproduce music only when it is desired.

-An alternative arrangement of this invention is shown in Figs. 4 and 5in which thecarriage 6 is provided with a metal frame piece 36 having aflat horizontal upper surface 38 on which the music box 10 may bemounted. This frame piece 36 is provided with two longitudinallyextending slots 40 through which extend fastening rivets 42 which servein allowing movement of the box 10 longitudinally of the frame piece 36,but which are sufficiently tight to prevent undue looseness. Theoperating lever 26a is pivotally secured to one side of the music boxthe same as in the embodiment of Fig. 1, selectively to provide music asdesired. A spring 32a, identical to spring 32 in Fig. 3, serves to drawthe music box 10 rearwardly into operating engagement with the buggywheel when the operating lever 26a is lifted out of locking engagementwith the rear axle 30a.

From the foregoing it will be appreciated that a selectively operablemusical doll carriage is provided which is the ultimate in simplicity ofconstruction and operation and which therefore may be enjoyed withoutencountering undue expense or operational complexities.

What is claimed is:

l. A musical doll carriage of the character described comprising a dollcarriage having a frame and supporting wheels and axles, amusic-producing device mounted on said frame and having an operatingconnection therewith which provides for relative movement between saiddevice and said frame, an operating wheel operatively connected to saiddevice and being positioned adjacent one Patented Apr. 22, 1958 of thecarriage wheels, said device being movable to pro vide an operativeconnection between said one carriage wheel and said operating Wheel foractuating said device, and a manipulable linkage for moving said deviceselectively into and out of operative engagement with said one carriagewheel and comprising a lever pivotally afiixed to said device andprovided with a notch engageable with one carriage axle for positioningsaid device out of actuating engagement with said one carriage wheel,and a spring operatively connected between said device and said one axleand serving to urge said device into actuating engagement with said onecarriage wheel.

2. A musical doll carriage of the character described comprising a dollcarriage having a frame and supporting wheels and axles, amusic-producing device mounted on said frame and having an operatingconnection therewith which provides for relative movementbetween saiddevice and said frame, said device having guide flanges slidablyengaging said frame and fastening means for supporting said device onsaid frame, an operating Wheel operatively connected to said device andbeing positioned adjacent one of the carriage wheels, said device beingmovable to provide a driving engagement between said one carriage wheeland said operating wheel for actuating said device, and a manipulablelinkage for moving said device selectively into and out of engagementwith said one carriage wheel and comprising a lever pivotally affixed tosaid device and provided with a notch engageable with one carriage axlefor positioning said device out of actuating engagement with said onecarriage wheel, and a spring operatively connected between said deviceand said axle and serving to urge said device into actuating engagementwith said one carriage wheel.

3. A musical doll carriage of the character described comprising a dollcarriage having a frame and supporting wheels and axles, amusic-producing device mounted on said frame and having an operatingconnection therewith which provides for relative movement between saiddevice and said frame, said device having guide flanges slidablyengaging said frame and fastening means for supporting said device onsaid frame, an operating wheel operatively connected to said device andbeing positioned adjacent one of the carriage wheels, said device beingmovable to provide a driving engagement between said one carriage wheeland said operating wheel for actuating said device, and a manipulablelinkage for moving said device selectively into and out of engagementwith said one carriage wheel and comprising a lever pivotally afiixed tosaid device and provided with a notch engageable with one carriage axlefor positioning said device out of actuating engagement with said onecarriage wheel, and a spring operatively connected between said leverand said one axle and serving to urge said lever into locking engagementwith said axle and said device into actuating engagement with said onecarriage wheel.

4. A musical doll carriage of the character described comprising a dollcarriage having a frame and supporting wheels and axles, amusic-producing device mounted on said frame and having an operatingconnection therewith which provides for relative movement between saiddevice and said frame, an operating wheel operatively connected to saiddevice and being positioned adjacent one of the carriage wheels, saiddevice being movable to provide an operative connection between said onecarriage wheel and said operating wheel for actuating said device, and amanipulable linkage for moving said device selectively into and out ofoperative engagement with said one carriage wheel and comprising amember pivotally aflixed to said device and provided with locking meansoperable to lock said device in position with respect to said axle andframe, said means serving to position said device out of engagement withsaid one carriage wheel, and means operatively engaging said device andsaid doll carriage and serving to yieldably urge said device intoactuating engagement with said one carriage wheel. I

5, A musical doll carriage of the character described comprising a dollcarriage having a frame which carries two transporting axles at thelower extremities thereof, supporting wheels on said axles, amusic-producing device reciprocably mounted on the lower portion of oneleg of said frame adjacent the respective axle, a pin and slotattachment for mounting slidably said device on said frame and havingone part thereof on said frame and the other part on said device, saidattachment permitting only rectilinear movement of said device withrespect to said lower leg portion, a lever pivotably secured to saiddevice and extending generally parallel to said one frame leg, lockingmeans on said lever and operative to lock said device against movementon said one frame leg, an operating wheel operatively connected to saiddevice and being operatively engageable with one carriage wheel foractuating said device, said locking means being operable to hold saidoperating wheel into operative engagement with said one carriage wheelwhereby transporting movement of said carriage will serve to operatesaid device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS569,158 Arnold Oct. 13, 1896 619,543 Cady Feb. 14, 1899 1,232,549 HooverJuly 10, 1917 1,751,047 Marx Mar. 18, 1930 2,609,640 Newell et al. Sept.9, 1952

